Time is Limited
by the-skywriter.321
Summary: Eighteen year old Emma is trapped in a asylum. She escapes by time traveling hundreds of years back and comes across a village where she faces a baroness who is exactly like evil Regina. Things grow difficult for her when she grows trapped in a love triangle: one the town's sheriff and the other a wanted leader of a rebellion known as Hook. Who will she choose?
1. Chapter 1

_**Takes place 1960s. Don't own anything.**_

* * *

Emma tossed and turned on the lumpy, discomforting bed. She's dreaming again, the same dreams that never chooses to change.

Her wrists are bounded above a hook that's hammered a few inches high above her head. Her ankles are tied up tightly too against the rusted bed rail.

Her fingers are open wide, as if reaching out for something to touch. Pure drops of sweat rolled down her forehead, the rest pooling on the back of her buttoned shirt.

Her eyes gives the obvious impression of troubling and pain for her brows are furrowed and her mouth mumbles soft words that can only be heard from a close distance.

_Killian claimed her waist and pulled her close to his torso. She giggled as he kissed her neck and down the lines of her jaw line._

_"You'll always be mine."_

_"Am I? I'm a free girl."_

_He pressed his mouth against her chin and smirked. "Not until graduation. I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

"Killian," she mumbled softly.

_Emma held her baby brother, Henry, close to her heart. Two of the men dressed in white with a wrinkled cap covering their dark heads approached her, cornering her to the wall. _

_Regina, her step-grandmother, stood by the door with her hands up in surrender. But behind the concerned look masking her face, there is a dark smile curved on her painted mouth. She walked slowly between the two men and neared closer to Emma._

_Emma breathed heavily and eyed her targets. Little Henry started to cry in her arms for she's holding him too tightly._

_"Emma, hand me the baby. These men are not going to hurt you."_

_"Don't lie to me. I know why they're here. I'm not mad, Regina. I am normal and healthy, enough to care for Henry. So I say you step back and order these men to leave the house at once."_

_Regina continued with her perfect performance of distress. A forced tear rolled down her eyes, smearing her eyeliner slightly. She turned briefly to the men, Emma could not hear for she spoke to them too softly. But as Regina turned back around, the two men marched toward Emma and firmly grabbed hold of her arms._

_Emma helplessly could not fight them, fearing of dropping little Henry who will not hush up. Regina took the baby at that opportunity and quickly left the room. _

_"Bring him back! Regina! Bring him back, you little witch!"_

_The men dragged her out the door. Emma fought them, kicking them and biting their arms but nothing worked. Their strength is the gift of Thor's hammer and their skin is thick and tough her teeth marks has no effect on them. She drew her final card by refusing to walk, but it was useless for the men decided to hold her up and drag her out the door._

_Before they reached the front door, Emma looked back, staring ahead at Regina who has a silent Henry in her arms. Her muscles tightened as she saw the wicked woman give her a wide smile._

_In the top of her lungs, she prepared her voice to call out her final message._

_"You witch! The truth will come out! You hear me?! It will!"_

Her eyes burst open. She breathed heavily for air, a breathless process similar to what a person would do immediately after being underwater for too long.

It's been five months since that tragic day. After her parents were killed from a car accident, the only relative left in the family took custody for Emma and Henry before their godparents took them in. Regina won by an instant and welcomed Emma and Henry with love and care for precisely two weeks. After that short time, her true colors were revealed.

For days and days, Emma had hope someone will find out where she is or at least the workers hereto realize she is not insane. But time taught her so much of how useless it was to carry that hope, for no one gives a damn where she is since her disappearance is a mystery, and the workers here are not born with soft hearts and never believed any of the patients here in the asylum were in any case normal.

She attempted to escape the horrid place multiple times. Despite of her young age, Emma had the capacity to out run most of the people here, but every time she tried, she failed and was given the worst treatment of all to the point death seemed more appealing.

The curfews are demanding and unchangeable. All the patients rise at the stroke of dawn, their prescriptions are given to them daily three times after every meal, and exercises are performed in a separate gym. The worst however, for Emma, has to be evenings when her bodyguard takes her in her room. Before she goes to bed, the famous doctor known as Dr. Whales, performs her treatment for her in certain assigned days, a treatment Emma and all the poor patients imprisoned in the asylum consider a burning experience in hell.

His famous instruments are all different and not exactly a complete whole set. But they all have one similar purpose: giving electronic shocks to the head. The pain they give to the body is absolutely unbearable and dehumanizing to witness a person strapped against a chair and allow some professional operate to the head, absurdly believing that dangerous electronic shocks provides a healing process to the madness casted on a patient.

The worst never seems to end after Emma is put to bed after her treatments. When she's bounded against the bed as usual, her bodyguard is trusted to have her door locked and leave for the day. However, he follows his duty in a completely opposite way. In most nights, he would come into her room, lock the door, and lie next to her. Emma can never get used to his filthy hands touching her body nor his rough kisses. The first few weeks when the man started doing this, she screamed and begged for help. But whenever anyone came, the man always prepared himself with perfect lies that she was the cause of attacking him, or threatening him. After that, she's punished by receiving injections that puts her to sleep.

Tonight, fortunately, her bodyguard decided to head home for the night and Dr. Whales did not prepare for her treatments. However, in the end, she'll still end up going through a sleepless night for the nightmares always wait to torment her.

Emma licked her lips and gave a shake of her head.

"It's just a dream..It's always a dream."

* * *

~ Emma scooped the last bit of her porridge with her spoon and finished it by one bite. The nurse took the spoon from her hand and left it on the tray that's placed on the floor. She kneeled in front of Emma and handed her morning prescription along with a glass of water.

Emma took it, throwing the pills in her mouth and gulped it down with the water. She handed the glass to the nurse and she took it.

"Open your mouth," she commanded.

Emma did so. The nurse gave her a nod after seeing that it's empty. She placed the glass down on the tray and picked it up. Emma watched her rise to her feet and head to the door, passing Emma's bodyguard who approached her. He grabbed her arm and tugged on it, signaling her to stand.

She rose to her feet and walked forward. Her ankles are free but her wrists are still tied up, a long extended spare rope that's attached to her bounded wrists, which gives her bodyguard control over her.

They passed the hallway until they reached the gym. Her bodyguard kicked open the door and slapped her on the buttocks to move forward. Emma gritted her teeth tightly but didn't dare lash out on him, it's not worth getting herself into any trouble.

He untied her wrists and gave a disgusting lick to her cheek before turning around to leave. Emma wiped his saliva off her cheek with her sleeve.

"Bastard." She muttered.

She started her workout lightly with a few rounds of cardio then changed her tune by challenging herself in an intense level. With her back pressed against the floor, she lifted a large dumbbell up. She breathed slowly through her mouth as she pulled it up and down as best as she could.

To save any of the patients from growing ill for lack of movement, the asylum has a small gym for them to exercise. It is divided into two parts, accordingly to the owner's decisions. One part is where most of the unmanageable patients are kept with small amount of exercising instruments - light instruments that they can't hurt themselves with. The second part is where Emma is placed in is the place where "less-maddening" patients are arranged to be in.

Emma lowered the dumbbell over her head and rested her hand on her forehead, taking a short break. It's quite absurd to have weights and other tools that are meant to help grow muscles for the body; the food they receive is not enough nourishment to keep them full nor has enough protein or minerals to balance with hard exercise. But Emma tries her best to build her body, she's thin and a bit scrawny yet her arms and calves grew lean after much exercise. In order to escape, her body must prepare itself to leave this horrid place.

Happy crawled over to Emma. He smiled brightly at her as he looked down at her face damp with sweat.

"Hello, Happy. Did you miss me?"

He nodded.

"You look very clean today. Did you had a another shower this morning?"

He nodded again.

As bright and spirited the boy was, there was an important ability he lost after waking up in this prison. His voice slowly died from the cruel beating he received from his bodyguard. His record of his family is unknown and apparently, it is the way his family wants to keep, like most loved ones related to many of the patients here. But he never lost his warm smiles and love, he is by far the very definition of happiness, yet at the same time, pity.

Emma sat upright and took his hand. She gave him a smile and a kiss on his only two fingers, the rest of the three chopped off. Happy clapped his hand on his thighs. He always liked her kisses.

"You're cold, Happy. Didn't you eat?"

Happy did not nod nor shake his head. He simply kept his smile on his mouth, tightening the grasp on her hand.

_They didn't feed them again. Are they trying to kill him or something? He needs to eat._

"Happy, demand for food next time. Don't let them get to you, or you won't be able to get fed. I promise you, when I get out of here, I'll sue this place until it shuts down"

Emma placed a hand to her chest and smoothed the center of her heart in a circular motion. Happy nodded and responded by doing the same thing.

Happy learned to communicate with others by simple nodding of the head or shaking it, and also the motion of the hands. For instance, the hand rubbing on the chest is a sign of promise, something used a lot here for fulfilling promises can't seem to always happen.

She smiled weakly at him. Even after five months, the injuries polluted on his skin still gives her the same heartbreak she felt the first day he befriended her.

His face is handsome with beautiful hazel eyes and he has a bright smile with two dimple shown on both cheek. Everything else, however, has a story behind its loss. First his hands, at nights, his bodyguard punished him by cutting his fingers. Three precious fingers were cut off from each of his hands. Next are the unlimited numbers of scars polluted from his jaw line to his neck, the rest covered with his clothes. Emma never found out who caused them and why he received them, but she knows for sure they were all done in vain.

No one is kind here. They are not human. They have no heart.

This hell is the eternal prison for each patient here. There's no time limit of how long they could stay here, for the world does not want abnormal human beings, they want healthy, non-strange humans to walk about the Earth freely. The rest who possess a disability to live on like all the others must be shunned and locked up in a separate community where they are unwanted and unloved.

Happy took her shoulder and leaned in, giving a peck to Emma's lips. Emma smiled and pulled the boy for a hug.

"Stay strong, Happy. Remember that I'm always here. Okay?"

He nodded.

_God, give me strength. Happy can't stay here. He needs to be free, live a life in a safe environment. This is no place for me neither or anyone. I need to leave. Leave from here and save Happy before they kill him._

He claimed her arm with both hands and turned it over. He traced curiously on Emma's tattoo printed on the back of her wrist, a head of a buttercup flower.

Emma raked a hand through his rough hair as he observed closely at her tattoo in awe.

She got the tattoo when she was sixteen with Killian. He promised her he'll have her name printed on his forearm if she gets one as well. Although, she did not take the big leap to have a tattoo of his name, she risked a full two hour experience with tears and short screams.

Happy snapped up his head and pointed at her tattoo. She smiled and nodded.

"It's a flower called a buttercup. It's not that perfect, though, Happy."

He shook his head and raised a thumb at her, disagreeing with her. Emma pecked him on the cheek.

"Okay, you're right. It is pretty."

* * *

~ Showers are permitted to be done ndividually but all together to make the process faster. Emma quickly washed herself and threw on a towel and headed out the exit. Her bodyguard waited for her outside. He grabbed her by the arm and pushed her to walk forward.

She clenched her hands into tight fists when he pulled her in by force to smell her hair. His odor consisting of odd meat and tobacco is no welcoming smell for her nose. She cringed when he pressed his lips on the crown of her head and whispered a frightening promise that he'll stop by at her room before heading home.

When they reached her room, he opened the door and pushed her in. She waited until he shut the door. When he closed it, she dropped the towel that covered her body and quickly changed into her plain white uniform. Her bodyguard sometimes walks in on her when she changes. Fortunately, the nurses are around to give the patients a drugged refreshment, so Emma is safe of any possible rape.

She pulled the loose trousers up to her waist and buttoned up her shirt. Her trousers sagged to her bottom. She pulled them up to her waist. She's losing too much weight, it's making it impossible for her to fit into her clothes anymore.

The nurses take her clothes everyday to wash but never give her a spare until the end of the year, due to a tight budget the owner of this terrible joint follows.

Emma went over to the bed and sat down. The door opened and a nurse walked in with Emma's second prescription and a glass of water. She handed them to her and again Emma took it. Only she hid the pills underneath her tongue. She handed her half-filled glass to the nurse and she took it.

Before her usual command to check her mouth, Emma opened her mouth for the woman to see. The nurse gave a brief look at the cave of her mouth and nodded, signaling Emma to close her mouth. Emma did so and waited patiently for the nurse to leave. Once the woman left and the door closed, Emma spat out the pills on her hand. She got off the bed and kneeled on the floor. Carefully she lifted the mattress and pulled out an old sock. She slipped the pills inside and took out a necklace - the only possession she kept safely since the day she was brought in.

She picked it up and traced her fingers on the handcrafted piece that has a silver swan crafted in the center. The scars on the clean silver is familiar by every touch. The necklace itself is just as beautiful like the day her parents gifted to her on her tenth birthday.

Safely she tucked the necklace in the cup of her bra and returned the sock in its original place.

_I'll be ready for you, you pig. I'll be ready._

* * *

~ Emma's bodyguard escorted her to a separate room, a play room the nurses called it. He pushed her in and left.

She walked pass a few patients sucking and biting on toys until she reached where Happy was. She sat down beside him and threw a arm around his shoulders.

"Hey, little guy."

He waved at her with his usual smile.

Emma gave him a peck on the cheek and sniffed his hair. "Wow. You smell very nice."

He pointed at her lightly on her chest, trying to give her the message that she smells lovely as well.

"I do? Thanks."

Happy picked a children's book from his lap and handed it to her. Eagerly wanting her to read it to him. Emma took it with a smile.

"Is this the vegetable book again?"

He nodded, and urged her to read it to him.

"Okay. Can you hold the book for me?"

Happy nodded and opened to the first page. Emma read to him each page he turned. Although he was not familiar with many of the words she read out to him, despite how simple and easy the words are, he enjoyed how playfully she read to him, changing her voice into different characters that made him laugh. She even took the time to explain to him the benefit each vegetable characters offer for the body. It's no use of teaching him anything, but she made the effort to do so anyway, to give him the chance to be educated with everything she has learned so far in high school.

"Mr. Tomatoes looks so red and fat doesn't he?"

He nodded.

"He's good for your body, too, Happy. Especially for here." She tickled him on his stomach that made him giggle. "Good for the digestion, balances your tummy acid."

He lifted his thumb up that means they are also delicious.

"Yes, they taste yummy too. We have them at lunch times, remember?"

He nodded and he flipped to the next page.

"Ah, now Miss Honey is a yummy treat. But when you get hurt, Happy, it's good medicine, especially burns. Okay?"

He didn't respond, instead playfully dug his hand in his mouth and claimed his tongue in a fist. Small streams of saliva pooled down on both corners of his mouth. He turned his head and looked at Emma. She smiled weakly, not minding a bit as some of the saliva spilled on the page of the small book.

"Very funny, Happy. You're such a clown."

* * *

~ Dinner passed by in a blur. The curfew for everyone to sleep was alerted early. A patient attempted to escape but failed so the owner considered it rational for the patients to be kept inside for the night.

Emma gathered the powder bits of the pills she cracked open with the soles of her shoes. It took her three days to turn them into powder. She had to mash them up as silently as she could since her bodyguard remains outside her door till nightfall.

She hid the sock back under her bed. She poured every bit of the powder in her mouth and held them in, not allowing her throat to swallow any bit of saliva for the drugs have the power to put anyone to sleep in less than a second.

She laid on her bed and her bodyguard walked in. He locked the door and went over to the bed. Her eyes stared dully up in the ceiling as he bounded her wrists and ankles. After giving final knots to both ties, he climbed on the bed and weighed his body on top of hers. His hands cupped her breast, squeezing them until they hurt. As he released them, his hands traveled elsewhere on the desirable parts of her body.

Emma waited impatiently for him to kiss him. His hands went up to her neck and his tongue trailed on her chest, then up to her jaw line. She fought back a smile as his tongue then occupied her mouth. She pushed the drugs into his mouth as best as she could. He tried to pull back but he swallowed the substance before he can do anything.

She wrinkled her nose for his head is pressed faced down on her chest, leaving an unpleasant residue of facial oil on her shirt. She spat out some saliva out of her mouth, making sure none of the powder is in her mouth.

She lifted her head up, her teeth biting into a loose end. Over and over again she slowly did the process to free her wrists - lifting her head up for her teeth to be able to untie the ropes, and resting it back down when her neck grew tired. At last, after many tries the ropes came loose and she slipped her wrists through the wide loop.

Angrily she pushed her bodyguard to the side of the bed and sat upright. In great haste, she pulled out his keys that hung on his belt. A pocket knife is connected in its silver ring. She used the weapon to free her ankles then dashed to the door.

Emma unlocked the door and bolted out the door. She ran like the wind down the long hall. All was quiet and no one was awake to stop her. But by the time she reached the first gate, a bodyguard caught her.

She tried unfamiliar keys that its key ring holds. Many of them didn't work and there are too many keys to try with such little time. She abandoned the gate and turned back, running breathlessly with two more bodyguards tagging along behind her.

There's no way out but through that first gate. From what Emma remembers when she first stepped foot to this asylum, she went through three gates. With such little time she has left now, it is impossible to succeed an escape.

She must surrender.

"Stop! Stop bitch! Stop!" One of them shouted from behind her.

But Emma did not stop, she ran and ran, according to how long the hallway is she is positive she'll be cornered and sent back to her room.

She did not want that to happen.

Her eyes caught a sight of a spare door. She headed toward it and quickly opened it. She literally jumped inside and shut the door with her foot. The bodyguards reached the small door, Emma locked it on time, however, and crawled to the nearest wall of the small, dark room.

She folded her legs to her chest and embraced them, her forehead lowered to her knees.

Her hands searched for the locket that's kept protectively in one of the cups of her bra She claimed it with both hands and held it close.

_Mom, dad make them go away. Please save me. I want to leave. Take me somewhere safe. Take me away, far away until I can never see this place again._

The door shook for they pushed their strength against it to break it open. Emma's heart pounded loudly of the intense situation. Helplessly she mentally begged for mercy, some miracle to send her somewhere safe.

"GO AW-"

A miraculous light shone in the heart of her folded hands. Her eyes widened as she slowly parted her hands apart. Her necklace is glowing so brightly it's blinding to look at.

The bodyguard gave a final push against the door and it burst open. But as they bolted in, Emma was gone with her clothes left on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Her ears are filled with water. Her body buoyant, floating on the top of the clear water of the river.

Nature surrounded her, providing a good volume that reaches her hearing. But no flying dragonfly nor an eager fish underneath the waters awoke her from unconsciousness.

However, besides the party of wild insects and family of fishes in the waters, Emma was not alone. A prisoner who's chained in shackles whistled and laughed as he stared in pleasure at Emma's bare nakedness. Another man who's free and clearly above his station silenced him by slapping him on the cheek with his leather glove.

He slipped off his boots and socks. Then removed his cloak and flung it over his shoulder. Not bothering to roll up his pants, but before his bare feet touched the cold water the other prisoner who's also shackled snatched the cloak from the man's shoulders and walked deeply into the water.

The prisoner scooped her body up in his arms. She shivered from the cool wind brushing against her bare skin. She woke up at last as the man covered her with the cloak. He walked to shore to get to hard ground.

Emma coughed out some water and voluntary leaned the side of her head on the warm man's shoulder. His body heat is preciously feverish.

"Th-Thank y-yo-u."

"Don't talk, love. You're shivering so much I can hardly understand you."

She nodded.

The prisoner lowered her down to sit on a low boulder. She draped the cloak around her body, her teeth rattling so hard she is lost for words where in the world she is.

He slipped his hands in his vest pocket and removed a silver flask. He handed it to her and she looked at it oddly at first.

"Take it, love. It'll warm your throat.."

She slowly took it and removed the flask from the top and lifted it to her lips. Her nose wrinkled for the taste of rum is unfamiliar to her palate. But he was right, the burning preserved alcohol warmed her throat as he said. She closed it and handed it back to him.

Before the prisoner was able to speak, the other man whom the prisoner took his cloak from, walked up to him and pushed with the other prisoner. Her savior grunted but stood his ground in his place.

The man kneeled down in front of her, just like all the nurses did to her. The memory alerted her to prepare herself to run, although, this time she is somehow in the middle of a forest near a stream and completely naked with only the stranger's cloak wrapped around her shoulders. So the idea of running may not be the best idea.

It made her uncomfortable of how his eyes looked up at down at her in a quick move.

"Now listen to me, loud and clear, I want answers not any explanations."

"You have no right to question me, I don't even know you."

She eyed the strange clothes he wears. It does not look modern at all. He wears no proper suit nor a casual outfit consisting of a pair of trousers and a comfortable shirt. Instead, he wears a vintage brown leather tunic, from his collar she can see the sight of a white shirt worn underneath, his pants are worn out and dyed in a light color of a different brown compared to his shirt. And the most frightening thing of all is that there's a belt around his waist with a long sword hung safely in its sheaf.

"Are you even from around here?" Emma asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question, lass. How did a young woman like you ended up naked and pushed into the river?"

"I was..I-I don't know. It all happened to fast. One minute I was in a room then- " She stopped. Her words sound maddening and unbelievable. She covered her eyes with her hands, questions swimming in her head that are in need of answers.

"Ay? I need a answer from you, not silence."

_How did I end up here? And why is this man speaking with an ascent? Was I believed to be dead and the workers just tossed my body out in the middle of nowhere where it ironically happened to be a film set for some upcoming medieval movie?_

"If you don't talk, I cannot help you."

Her hands dropped from her eyes. "Okay. I can't tell you where I came from or else you'll send me back from the God forsaken place I've been trapped in for so long. But all I can tell you is that I was somehow transported here, by force, and my clothes were left behind."

"Do you remember who took you here?"

"No. I really don't. I'm sorry, do you happen to have some change? If there's any phone booth around here, I need to find one and make an urgent call, it's an emergency."

The man frowned, his expression quizzical for her request seems absolutely foreign to him. "Phone booth? Change? What are you talking about, lass? Have these kidnappers drug you before dumping you in the water?"

"Would you please stop playing dumb with me. You know what those things are."

"Tell me your name, lass."

"I don't trust strangers."

"I'm the sheriff. You can trust me."

Emma chuckled humorlessly and rose to her feet. "I'm getting tired of you continuously getting into character. If you're not going to give me what I want, then I might as well ask someone else."

She marched away and the man followed her. Before he grabbed her arm and turned her around, she caught the sight of the prisoners outrageously shackled like an animal.

"You're not going anywhere. You're coming with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Jesus, do you treat everyone like that. Lock them up and force them to move on foot, that man over there isn't even wearing any shoes on. Don't you have a damn heart?"

"That man is a prisoner. And as sheriff, it is my job to send those who commit illegal crimes to prison."

"By shackling them? Where's that man's lawyer? He has the right to justify his crimes by a rightful lawyer before you can forcefully arrest him and send him to prison."

"Lawyer? He can't even afford to buy a loaf of bread without stealing. What makes you think it's possible for a man who earns five pounds per half year can afford a lawyer?"

_What is going on? Am I dreaming? Is this all a joke? _

"Five pounds. How much is that? Ten, twenty dollars? Or maybe thirty?"

"Dollars? Christ, lass you're definitely from a different world."

"If you're serious, then..then what year is this? Tell me, in America, money is not measured by pounds, it's by dollars and cents."

"America? This is not America - I never heard such a name. You're in Storybrooke, lass."

"Storybrooke? What the hell is -Then..Then what year is this?"

"It's the month of September, fourth day of the month. Year, 1343."

* * *

~ The sheriff took Emma by both shoulders and led her to his horse. He slid his hands to her waist to help her get on its back. She backed away from him, making his hands drop to his sides.

"Don't touch me." She hissed.

"I have to so I can get you on the horse."

"Fuck your horse."

The prisoner who carried her out of the water laughed. Emma angrily turned to see who it is.

"Why won't you shu -K-Kilian?"

The prisoner stopped and tilted his head to the side, looking slightly surprised. "Do you know me, lass?"

Emma clutched tightly to the cloak and ran toward Killian. Killian smiled in pleasure as she claimed both her cold hands against his warm cheeks. Her lips whimpered as she looked a lot closely into the eyes of her boyfriend who she hasn't seen for five months.

She wanted to kiss him. Hug him. Allow him to take her as his own. Touch her like he used to.

But this man was not Killian, definitely looked like a rebel like the future Killian was. On the other hand though, this has to be an ancestor of his, or a doppelganger perhaps.

Killian looked at her hand and then the other as they slowly slipped from his cheeks. The sheriff went over to her.

"Do you know this man?"

"..N-No. It was a mistake, I'm sorry."

"We have to go now."

He took her by the arm and led her to his horse. She didn't object this time as he claimed each side of her waist and lifted her up off her feet and lowered her on the horse's back. He got on as well, her back touching his chest. He took control of the reins and clicked his tongue to signal the horse to move forward.

"Wh-What crime has he committed?"

"Killian? He's in charge of building a rebellion against the baroness. He's famous for being arrested many times for that same reason."

"How many times has he been arrested?"

"Enough for me to keep a careful eye on him."

* * *

~ Emma was further convinced she somehow time traveled when the sheriff took her to the village of Storybrooke. There were no street lamps, like she remembered from the modern world, no women and men wearing the casual fashion of suits and printed dresses, and no restaurants and diners opened for customers.

The village is large with many townspeople passing by and doing their bidding. Some women doing chores that Emma never dreamed of seeing them do everything without cleaning machines. Many of the men are inside, finishing their daily task that cannot compare with the regular activities Emma sees men do in the future - reading the newspaper, sipping coffee in a diner, walking by with friends, or carrying their child and buying them ice cream.

The sheriff entered the gates of a caste. He pulled his horse over outside the heart of the tall castle that's surrounded by stoned walls in a square shape. He got off the horse and lifted Emma by the waist to put her down. Since she had no shoes, he bundled her properly with his cloak and lifted her up in his arms.

She was not comfortable with this. But so far, he is the only one who can assist her in this foreign time period in the mean time.

He entered the massive castle.

If Emma was a random beggar in the streets, she would be in awe at the magnificent rooms of the very building. But since she is not, her reaction is the complete opposite; she fears of the fact she is trapped in a time period that's six hundred years away from her present time, and hasn't the slightest idea to return.

The sheriff opened the door to the kitchens. It's an occupied room filled with men and women preparing for a large feast. The sheriff placed Emma down and went over to a old plumped woman stirring a pot of stew with a long wooden spoon.

"Granny, I have a new member for you to take care of."

She turned to look at the sheriff and pushed her round spectacles forward. "And what is that, sheriff? Not another lost boy. This is no place for young children to run about."

"It's a young lass, a strange one. But she needs to be taken care of before I present her to the baroness."

_You're such a respectful bitch, aren't you? _

Granny walked passed him, her shoulder rudely hitting his. She gave Emma a sweet smile as she approached her. It's been a long time since Emma ever received such kindness, not counting her dearest Happy.

"Hello, dear. And what is your name?"

"E-Emma."

"I hope Graham didn't chain you up and forced you to walk. He's all stone inside, sometimes forget to be human.

Graham returned back to Emma's side. He gently grabbed her by the arm. A shiver ran down her spine as his mouth went to her cold ear. "Don't think of running away. Change and eat something. The baroness has to see you."

He released her arm once he pulled back and left the kitchen. Granny snarled at him but composed her expression with a sweet smile and intertwined her arm with one of Emma's.

"You must be cold. I'll get ready with your clothes."

* * *

~ Emma was discomforted by the clothes Granny gave her. She found it strange to wear a floor length tunic over a white shift. But the worst was how her airway is restricted due to the tight corset holding her breast in balance yet squeezing the extra skin of her body in.

Her irritation was put in ease, though when Granny offered her some nourishment. The hot bowl of steaming broth with some bread pleased Emma's growling stomach. Granny filled her bowl for the second time when Emma finished her first bowl clean by only a few spoonful bites.

"My, you're so tiny, dear. When was the last time you eaten?"

_Lying right now is the best option. So far, blurting out I'm from the future will be no help, I need to strategize a plan first after I settle down here._

"Not very long. I don't have very much food from where I come from. Taking small portions for every meal is not very uncommon."

Granny nodded, understanding exactly what she means. "Life can never be kind. We go through hunger or famine once in awhile, sometimes last a whole year..Winters are the harshest. I ate nothing but grass once before I got myself a career here."

"You were that poor?"

"I was. I can't keep up with my job in the kitchen anymore, though, my eyesight is not good as it used to be and my bones and muscles ache so much."

"Don't you have a family?"

"Only a granddaughter. Rest moved to France and died from the plague. Luckily the plague died down though."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Emma stirred her spoon in the bottom of her bowl. She arched her back, leaning her face closer to the steam of the bowl. Enjoying the warmth it gives to her cold cheeks.

"I know you'll be going through questioning pretty soon. But do you mind if this old hag ask you a few questions?"

"Of course."

_Brace yourself, Emma._

"How old are you? You look a little older than my Red."

"Eighteen. I'll be turning nineteen pretty soon."

_So far, speaking the truth doesn't seem to hurt._

"How soon?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I've forgotten the day of my birth." She lied.

"Emma," she took her hand in a light grip, "were you..were you kidnapped and taken away from your home?"

Emma nodded, considering it the best lie for her situation. Sudden tears poured down her eyes when the thought of Happy crossed her mind. Granny had the sympathy to pull the girl for a hug.

"Oh don't you worry. This castle is big enough for everyone. If the baroness approves, you'll be welcomed here and I'll take care of you myself."

"Thank you, Granny. I-I hope I'll be permitted to stay. I got nowhere else to go."

* * *

~ Graham and another guard escorted Emma to a separate room for her to meet the baroness who owns the castle. She didn't like the guard firmly holding onto her arm. She was free, it didn't seem right to her to be treated like this from a man.

As they reached the room they entered. The room appears to be a study chamber filled with tall shelves carrying all sorts of books, a chandelier made of black spikes hung in the ceiling, and a wide carved desk placed before a beautiful woman who Emma is guessing is the baroness.

The baroness lifted her eyes from an unrolled map placed below her. But as she met Emma's eyes, Emma froze in place.

Every feature of the woman resembled exactly like her evil step-grandmother. The hair, the lips, the fierce eyes, and the toned skin. It's Regina..But, possibly her ancestor.

_Jesus, is it natural for ancestors to look exactly like the future family members? First, Killian and now Regina._

Graham pushed her forward that forced her to walk. Emma took a deep breath, holding in the temptation of attacking the woman off her chair.

The baroness closed her hands and gave Emma that familiar wicked smile from her nightmares. "So you're my mysterious visitor that everyone is talking about?"

"..yes." She mumbled.

"Graham, where did you find her? She looks too young to wander off in the woods alone, she could be simply lost."

"She was found floating in a river, several miles away from here. Her clothes were stripped away from her and when I asked her where she's from, she says she doesn't remember. Frankly," he looked down at Emma, "she's unlike anyone I've ever encountered."

"Really? So," she eyed Emma's blonde curls "my little swan, where have you come from?"

_If only I know where I am, I can make up something._

"M-My husband and I moved into..o-our house miles away from here. I forgot where it is, he inherited it from his father who was found dead three days ago. Last night, thieves intruded our home and killed my husband. They kidnapped me and took me away. But they were caught by a traveler, they fleed after taking my ring and my clothes and simply pushed me to the water. That's all I remember."

"I'll have Graham to investigate if you wish."

"That won't be necessary. I'm sure he has better things to do here. And those men can never be found, they're long by now."

"Well, that's quite unfortunate. Tsk, tsk, what should I do with an inexperienced girl like you? Tell me, what can you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm generous to those who are capable to work to live here. But I can't allow any hospitality if you have no experience to work."

"You want me to work here?"

"That is the benefit I receive for all the workers that live here, yes. What are you skills?"

"Uh..Nothing really special. I am capable of following orders, I can do anything realy."

"Anything? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Very well, I'll place you under the kitchen duties. I'm sure Granny can find work for you. In the mean time, settle down in a room with anyone in that station, I'll allow it. You are dismissed."

Graham and Emma turned to leave but the baroness cleared her throat, a signal to stop them.

"Graham, you stay. Swan, leave with the guard outside."

Emma headed to the door alone and left.

Graham turned to face the baroness. "She seems too strange, almost foreign."

"We'll have to keep an eye on her in the mean time. Watch over her and find out who exactly she is. I don't believe this memory loss she's going through. This girl is definitely hiding something."

"As you wish."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews and everyone else who followed me and added this story as their favorite. I'm afraid I can't tell you if this is a Gremma fanfic or a Captain Swan - I love Killian and Graham btw, just to make sure none of you are rolling your eyes thinking this is for sure a Captain Swan fanfic just b/c I published two fanfics of it already. I don't want to reveal it because it'll be indicating and spoil all the fun of finding out which suitor Emma will choose. So I'm sorry to disappoint some of you, especially the one annoymously reviewed known as 'nono'. **

**Killian will be mentioned in the next chapter. So a little Captain Swan moment there. And that's all. Enjoy!**

* * *

Emma helped peel the full bags of potatoes with the other women. It would be easier to peel them with the modern kitchen tools that existed in her time, but she swallowed away the thought and minded with the spare knife clutched on her hand.

As she peeled each bit of skin off the half naked potato, her mind wandered off to another thought.

The necklace was the one that brought her here to this time period. She desperately wants to know how a simple necklace turned out to have some kind of magical power. But she knows very well, she needs to find it first before questioning anything else, possibly might be in the river.

It is nerve-wrecking of how long she has to wait to get to the river. The necklace could be lying under the stones in a deep length of the water, or worse swallowed by a swimming fish. But one question seize for an answer in her mind that she cannot get herself to figure out, does she really want to return back to the asylum and go through the impossible again to escape?

Granny nudged her on the shoulder. "Pay attention, dear. You can easily lose a finger if you don't."

Emma blinked, leaving her thoughts by an instant. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be distracted."

"That's alright. There's only an hour until supper time. I'll introduce you to Red by then."

"Your granddaughter?"

"Yes."

"Where is she now?"

"She tends to other duties outside of the kitchen. But she comes in here sometimes, yet I'm afraid she isn't tonight."

"I'll be glad to meet her."

Granny sliced the naked potato into pieces and discarded them into a large bowl. "So, tell me, how did you convinced the witch, anyway?"

Emma's eyebrows raised. "Excuse me?"

The other women chuckled loudly and eyed me with a twinkle in their eyes. Granny laughed too, but softly. "Oh come on, dear, she's no angel. Admit it, you must already realize what a bitch she is."

Emma smiled widely. "Are you even allowed to say that? What if someone hears you?"

"Oh no one cares. Everything that I say stays here and never leaves. I make sure of it because I have the power to serve a full meal to everyone, anyone who betrays me ends up with a empty stomach. And I trust you don't want an empty stomach tonight."

"No, ma'am."

"Good," Granny smiled and tapped her on the nose playfully. "Did you beg for a job or put on a show with tears?"

"No, not at all. I simply answered her questions and she offered me a job here. That was all. I didn't plan on begging for any job."

"My, that's the first time she went easy with anyone. You're lucky, dear Emma."

"Am I?"

"Oh yes, I had to cry in front of the woman and even covered myself with mud and hay to make my desperation more convincing. It didn't work until I mentioned I cook. She tested my skills and when I passed she hired me. But I dare say I won't be staying here anymore, my time will end pretty soon."

"Don't say that, Granny. You're still vibrant and healthy."

"For now, dear, my body will give up on me pretty soon. But what a great paradise that'll be, no work and staying in bed. It'll be a nightmare for my dear Red, on the other hand, but a dream for me."

"Poor Red."

* * *

~ In the dining room, the workers in the castle are seated to dine, the baroness is seated in an empty spare table, eating alone beside Graham.

Emma changed into a spare clothing. She deliberately abandoned her corset and exited her room. It was relieving that Granny gave her a proper tour to teach her where each specific rooms are. Emma has learned to remember specific doors; it was a necessary skill when she was in the asylum in order to escape.

She appears to be late and the last one to enter. She couldn't find the courage to enter the large room for the crowd was overwhelmingly vast.

It's all new for her to be dining for the first time with healthy, normal people, unlike her times of eating alone in her cage.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to walk forward. Her pace slowed as the crowd suddenly fell dead silent, every eyes lied on her. She awkwardly fiddled with her fingers and searched uneasily for Granny. Granny raised her hand with a smile, gesturing her to come sit by her.

Emma smiled weakly and walked toward to where she is. Some of the workers whispered amongsts each other as the natural noise returned in the room. Emma furrowed her eyebrows when she overheard a conversation as she passed by, she didn't hear everything what they were saying but hearing the words "whore found in the water" was enough to make her angry.

The news of how she was found must have spread quite rapidly amongst the people since she arrived.

Before Emma sat down on the empty spot of the wooden bench, a voice called out her name. "Little Swan, come sit by me for the evening, will you?" The baroness requested.

Emma turned around and walked toward the spare table. She briefly looked back over her shoulder, mutely apologizing to Granny. The old woman gave her a wink and mutely responded a "good luck" to her.

Graham rose from his seat and politely pulled a spare seat that's beside the baroness. Emma sat down and he pushed her chair in and returned to his seat.

"I hope you're hungry."

"Yes, I am."

Emma ripped a leg of a pheasant and took a bite from it. She devoured the leg until it was clean - the taste of meat seems only like a memory to her.

"How was work for you?"

"It was okay."

Graham suddenly cleared his throat, his dark eyes darting at her from across the table. "Address her politely, lass."

"No, it's alright, Graham." The baroness examined Emma closely as Emma busily ate the last bits of meat attached on the bone. "How is it that you don't mourn for the loss of your husband? I expected you to grieve but you seem quite..composed."

"We never got along. It was arranged. But it was a horror to see him get beaten and stabbed in our bed," she lied without meeting the woman's eyes.

"My condolences. How long do you plan on remaining here?"

"Not long. I..I need to return where I came from."

"But you don't remember where your house is."

"I have a relative who lives a few miles off from our home, I can locate his house verywell if you can offer me a ride. I'll pay you if I have to."

"No, that won't be necessary. Since it's late, Graham here can escort you there tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

"Prepare for the journey when you return to your room. You'll leave in the first light."

"That's fine with me."

The meal passed by quietly. Emma did not mind eating in silence with no one calling her name to start a conversation. Her main motive for tonight was to eat from every plate that's serves on the table. Never in the her life have she seen so much food, compared to the small morsels and congealed inedible food the nurses claimed can be eaten.

The baroness talked to Graham in a low voice for Emma not to hear. But Emma couldn't care less what they were talking about, her eyes looked ahead at the others finishing their supper and ate every bit of what was left on her plate.

When the baroness did not look at Graham, he took it as a chance to take a few glimpses of Emma from across the table. Her yellow hair appealed to him with a healthy interest - it's not common to see anyone in this town with such a pure and clean color. Her curls aren't tangled or frizzed, they're slightly large and matches well with her pale skin.

Emma's stomach screamed for her to stop stuffing food in her mouth after her fifth wing of the pheasant. She dropped the bone of a wing on her plate and leant back on her chair.

She suddenly furrowed her eyebrows for she can see a figure staring at her from across the corner of her eyes. She turned her head to see who it is. Graham immediately looked the other way. But it was too late, Emma already saw it was him. She licked her lips and pushed her chair out, standing up to her feet.

"Excuse me? I'm a little tired. I wish to return back to my room to rest."

The baroness lifted her head to meet Emma's eyes. "Of course, sleep well, little swan. Don't forget about tomorrow."

"I won't , ma-Huh. I'm sorry, I don't know how I should address you. I've lived as an orphan so long, no one taught me the proper way to address others, strictly speaking, addressing to nobles."

"That's understandable. It's not an easy life with no assistance to prepare a young girl like yourself for the future. Are you educated at least, little swan?"

"Enough to outwit a priest."

The baroness smiled, flashing her clean white teeth. "I see. Well, I would accept you to address me as 'm'lady'. That would be proper."

_My lady my ass. I rather eat dirt and die in the middle of the road than call you that, you bitch._

Emma's mouth twitched as she forced a smile. "Right. Well, goodnight..m'lady."

"Goodnight."

Emma walked around the table and went down the open gap provided from between the two long tables.

* * *

~ Emma changed out of her tunic and walked over to a wash bowl. She filled it with a pitcher of water and dipped her hands in. She leaned her head closer to the bowl and washed her face clean, then dried it with a towel.

_How do I brush my teeth? They don't have toothbrushes and toothpaste in this time period...I hope they don't just leave their teeth to rot for life. That's gross._

She placed the towel down and rested a hand to her hip. Thinking to herself how she's going to figure out a way to get her teeth cleaned for the pheasant and the refreshing salad she had for supper leaves an odd after taste.

A knock came from the door suddenly. She walked over to it and answered. The visitor is a young girl who looks about her age, in her hands she holds a tray that carries a white cloth, a full leather pouch, a small bowl that holds a small mountain of bruised herbs, and a spare bowl that's empty.

The girl's brown hair is fair and long, her eyes are large and beautiful like a mystical character. Her outfit is simple like what Emma has worn all day but the red cloak she wears gives an aesthetic style, allowing her dull attire to stand out.

She smiled at Emma. "I'm sorry did I wake you?"

"Not at all. I'm guessing you're Red."

"That's correct. It's pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. I'm Emma."

She rolled her eyes. "My Granny already told me, she talked of you non-stop. I feel as if you're taking my place."

Emma smiled and shook her head. "I'm nothing special. But she certainly is."

"Indeed she is. I hope to talk to you tomorrow in the morning. I would like us to be friends."

"Uh..I don't think that can happen between us."

Her smile dropped from her mouth. "What do you mean? Do you not find me friendly?"

"No, it's not that. You see, this evening I spoke to the baroness and asked her if she can help me get to my relative's home for me to settle down, she agreed."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"One day is something, though. I still hope for us to at least get to know each other tomorrow."

"I would like that." Emma looked curiously down at the tray she carries in her hands. "What is this?"

"Ah, invite me in and I'll show you."

"Alright. Come in."

Red walked inside and headed to the bed. She placed the tray down on the center of the mattress.

Emma closed the door and went over to her side. She watched curiously as Red took the pouch and the cloth from the tray. She removed the lid and pressed the cloth on the mouth of the pouch and pumped its stomach that forced the substance to pour out from the mouth. When she got enough of it onto the cloth, she closed the lid and handed the wet cloth to Emma. Emma took it but was puzzled, unable to figure out what exactly she's supposed to do with it.

Red chuckled lightly. "I put some white wine onto the cloth. All you have to do is take the cloth and scrub it onto your teeth."

"Oh."

Emma did so. She did not like how numb the wine caused on her gums and the taste was foul to her. Once she finished, Red took the cloth and tossed it on the tray. She picked up the small bowl of bruised herbs and handed to Emma.

Again Emma did not do anything. She curiously dug a finger into the small mountain of the green crushed herbs and even held it up to her nose to take a whiff of its scent. She regretted doing that as she lowered the bowl from her nose. Her nose wrinkled and her shoulders shook for the scent is strong and leaves a burning feeling to her nostrils.

"What am I suppose to do with this?"

"Simple, you take some with your fingers and put it into your mouth. Chew the herbs and spit it out."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. When I do it, I count to twenty slowly. It leaves my mouth fresh for the night. But I'm not so sure if it works for you."

"Let's find out."

Emma took a bit of the herbs and licked it off with her tongue. She grimaced of the foul taste but chewed the bruised herbs as Red instructed. After a short while, Red took the empty bowl from the tray and lifted it to Emma's lips. Emma spat out the herbs and took a step back.

Red placed the bowl down on the tray and let out a short laugh at Emma's reaction. Emma shook her shoulders and scraped her tongue with her front teeth.

"That's disgusting."

"It's good for your teeth. Believe me, it never fails."

"I hope it doesn't. Even though this experience was not pleasant at all, thank you for coming in."

"You're welcome. Now will you excuse me, I must get ready for bed myself. Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Red."

Red reached her hand for Emma's lower arm. But Emma mistakenly considered her gesture for a hand shake. She took Red's hand and gave it a shake.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

"It's how we say farewell, well according to where I come from."

"I see. A lot of our ways compared to what you've learned all your life is foreign."

Before Emma released her hand, she frowned at a certain red brick colored mark burned on the center of her wrist. Red pulled her hand away before Emma can have a closer look at it. She gave Emma a final grin and headed to the door.

_Did the baroness punish her by burning her wrist? Or did some stranger did that to her?_

* * *

~ _Henry slept sound asleep in Emma's arms. She leaned back on Killian's chest, comforted by his warm arms wrapped around her lower waist. He kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear._

_"It's time, Emma. Go and say goodbye."_

_"I know. Can you hold Henry for me?"_

_"Sure."_

_Killian released Emma as she turned around. Gently she handed Henry over to Killian and he held the little baby in his arms. She picked the two roses that rests on her seat and headed toward the two coffins: one where her mother rests in and the other where her father is kept in._

_She walked over to the coffin where her father lies. She placed the rose onto his chest and leaned in, lying a kiss on his brow._

_"I love you, dad..Don't ever feel that you failed me, I'll never blame you for leaving me so soon. You've done everything right and always loved mom and Henry..and me. You don't have to worry though, just rest and be in peace for life, dad. I love you very much."_

_She lied another kiss on the same place of his soft brow, and pulled back. She moved on slowly to the other coffin. _

_She placed the rose on her mother's chest. Tears pooled down her eyes as she looked down at her mother's beautiful face, her skin tone pale as snow and her lips pink and alive. She leaned in and kissed her mother's cheek. _

_"I'll take care of Henry, mom. You never have to stay up all night anymore, or stop by at the doctors when he's sick or fight over with me and dad to decide who will change his diaper. I'll do everything and..he'll never forget you or dad. I love you. I love you so much...Goodbye, mom."_

_She slowly pulled back and returned to where Killian stands. Two men went over to her before she reached where Killian is. She gave them a nod before they can say anything and walked pass them._

_Killian carefully handed Henry over and Emma carried her baby brother safely in her arms. She turned around and watched the two men close the coffins and prepare for them to be lowered down on the two dug up pits._

_Killian claimed her waist with his arms again, his warm chest pressing against her back. "Are they in peace?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_He kissed her cheek, licking her salty tears off his lips. "You have me, alright. I'm not going anywhere."_

_"Thank you."_

_"If you have to cry, love, then cry. If you want to scream, then scream. I'll always be here. Always."_

_"..Thank you, it means a lot to me that you came...Oh God, Killian. They're really gone. They're..M-My parents are gone."_

_"No they're not. Death is not the end, Emma. It's a beginning. They're in peace and they never will stop loving you, never. Nor would I. I love you."_

_Emma leaned her head back and nodded. "I love you too."_

Emma burst open her eyes and immediately sat upright, her back leaving the support of the bed. Her hands dug into the roots of her hair and she madly rocked back and forth to calm her trembling body.

"It was just a dream..It was just a dream." She repeated to herself over and over again.

It's painful that her nightmares are not only tormenting her but she can't do anything about it. First, she was imprisoned in the asylum and was unable to escape from it. But now she's in another world, where her loved ones does not exist just yet.

She misses everyone dearly. Little Henry growing up without knowing her existence. Her beloved boyfriend who might have given up looking for her and possibly moved on to be single or heartbreakingly as she fear, got steady with another girl.

She had her future together when her parents died. Regina was just the icing on the cake who can look after Henry. But that was all shattered the day she found out her plans are no longer possible.

"I need air..Air."

She dropped her hands from her hair and clumsily crawled off the bed. Without even bothering to light a candle, she opened the door and exited her room

Fortunately, the castle is deadly dark in the evenings but there are numbers of lighted iron lamps hammered against the walls. Emma ran across the hall breathlessly in barefoot.

By the time she got outside, she stood still in the center of the heart of the castle. The evening wind brushed beneath her shift, making her skin shiver. But she took a moment of silence, breathing into the sweet evening air and ignored completely of how dirty her feet are from the filth of the ground and the chilliness the cold air brings.

However, her curiosity forced her to abandon the idea of mediating silently when she heard voices from afar near the far off wall. She followed where the voice is coming from and neared closer as the sight of two shadows appeared on the ground.

She frowned to discover they're only Graham and the baroness.

"You found nothing about her. Are you sure? That can't be possible."

"I've checked multiple times, even tempted to file a complaint that the records were missing a certain person. But there is no record about her, not even about her birth."

"She must be from another country. Must have smuggled to escape from being on trial for some crime, or maybe a daughter from a wealthy family. That'll be a fair price. She needs to be held her captive here, might come in handy."

_Isn't this woman rich enough? She owns a castle and has over fifty people to serve her. What more does she want?_

The baroness grabbed Graham's collar and pulled him forward. "You hear me, Graham? Forget taking her anywhere. She's a prisoner now."

"And if she runs away?"

"Well, you're the sheriff, Graham. That's the issue you have to deal with. Now shut up and kiss me."

Graham pushed her against the walls and grabbed her bottom. The baroness laughed and intertwined her legs around his waist. He pinned her wrists above her head and pressed his lips against hers.

Emma awkwardly turned around and tiptoed away. But the baroness saw her from behind Graham's shoulder, she whispered to Graham for him to stop and he did so. He realized why she said that as he turned around to see Emma's figure fleeing away.

"Go get her. She'll run away."

Graham ran after her. Emma turned around shortly and quickly looked forward after seeing him running after her. She ran this time but back inside the castle for the gates are locked. But Graham was faster and caught her arm. She tried to free herself from his grasp. But he was stronger than she was. He pushed her forward to him and grabbed her by the waist and threw her body across his shoulder. Emma gasped as her stomach hit his firm shoulder.

She punched his back with her fists and shouted for him to let her go. Her voice echoed throughout the room that can wake up anyone from their sleep.

"Let me go, you-son-of-a-bitch."

"I won't. And shut your mouth if you don't want to make enemies. You scream so loud it makes my ears ring."

"I hope you lose them, jerk."

But she quieted down in a grunt, he did make a good point. The people consider her as a stranger and also believe she's allegedly a whore or a raped victim. Awaking them from their sleep like this might further ruin the way they see in her.

As Graham reached the door to her room, he opened it and walked inside. He pulled out a spare key from his pocket and locked the door. Emma watched as he slipped the key back inside his pocket.

He went over to the bed and kicked off his shoes. Emma shook her head madly and started punching his back again.

"What are you doing? You're not sleeping with me."

"If you think I'm attempted to do anything else to you other than hold you captive in this bed, I strongly encourage you to think again. I prefer a woman not a girl."

"I don't care. I am not letting you stay in my room."

"I'm the sheriff, Emma, it's my job to follow the baroness. And it was her orders to keep you here."

He grabbed her by the waist and tossed her on the bed. Before she can crawl off, he lowered his body to lie down and grabbed her by the waist. She gasped as his arms embraced her body and pulled her close to his chest. She pressed her hands on his chest and kicked her feet at his ankles to separate herself from him. But her efforts were not too successful, the more she moved the tighter he held her.

She finally gave up for his hold on her body makes it difficult for her to breathe. She snarled at him for she's facing his body, lying down on her side and she cannot turn over to lie the other way.

He looked down at her and chuckled. His eyes closed and rested his chin on the crown of her head. "Sleep, Emma. I'm tired."

"Do you do everything that bitch tells you to do?"

"You have quite a speech. God certainly gifted you with a serpent's tongue."

"Yes, and He also gifted me with disobedience to cruel people. You see when a rich woman like that bitch tells me to fetch something for her, I refuse. Unlike you, you're so willing to be her dog."

His reaction did not harden into anger as Emma hoped. He instead remained calm.

"It's the way for me to live."

"Obeying a woman is the way to live for you? And I thought men in this era were the dominant power. Why is it the other way around for you?"

"Because my name isn't the one that's printed in a piece of paper that states this entire castle is mine."

"And a castle is the only thing a person needs to be God? So if I have one, will you push me against the wall and put your hands on my ass if I command you to kiss me?"

"Perhaps," he opened his eyes and gave her a smirk, "I might enjoy it more with you if you did."

Emma felt her arm stiffen as she curved her hand into a fist. "And I thought you said you prefer women over girls. I'm very good at distinguishing between the truth and the lie. And I was very sure you told the truth when you said that."

"A man can always change his tune."

"And if I'm not clean, a virgin. You'll still take me?..Have you forgotten that I had a husband who took me to bed as he pleased? Do you really prefer a girl who's marked like that?"

_And who's been assaulted for months._

"Ah, your husband. I highly doubt there even was one. So far, any record of your life is no longer in existence. In the mean time, I prefer to consider this so-called husband of yours a lie."

_Damn..._

"Besides," he continued, "I am not a religious man. I would make love to you either if a man has already taken you or not."

"You're impossible." She breathed the words in a sigh.

"Before you think of anything else to say, I must warn you right now to stop talking."

"Why? Does it hurt to hear me insult you?"

"Not as much as you hope. If you push me off the limits, though, I will not hesitate to silence you by escorting you to prison. Getting locked up in a dark, smelly cell is no pleasant experience, Emma. Believe me, there could be dead corpses there plagued with diseases and rats crawling about in the dark that you can't see. Meals are not at all editable to eat either. All you get is stale bread and a mug of water, nothing more for the day or even weeks."

The imagery of the horrid place made her skin crawl. No matter how burning her fury is, she forced her mouth close and shut her eyelids to sleep.

Graham chuckled that tempted her to hurt him but she's unable to move her hands due to his strong hold around her body. "That did the trick."

"Shut up. Just sleep and leave early in the morning. I don't want to see your face when I wake up."

"I can promise that."

"Good."

* * *

~ _Strange people dressed in complete white pinned Emma down on the bed. Dr. Whales approached her with a syringe. Emma screamed and fought to break free but she was unsuccessful to achieve that._

_"We're not going to hurt you, Emma. This is just a treatment."_

_"DAMN YOUR TREATMENT, YOU MONSTER!"_

_Dr. Whales inserted the needle of the syringe to the back of her forearm. One of the nurses from behind him pushed a wheeled cart that held the machines to perform the treatment._

_Emma's muscles felt numb and her bones could not move by her command. She watched the strangers strap her down with leather belts, but her vision blurred slightly, showing everything into threes. _

_But as Dr. Whales started the treatment, the pain the machine gave to her body could not be fought back from the substance he inserted to her arm. She screamed and was helpless for she still could not move her body at all._

_The shocks the machine gave to her head spread its electrifying power to head to foot. It was maddening and nobody did anything to stop Dr. Whales, only watched as if it's for her own good - they are the doctor's disciples who madly believes this treatment can be any way effective for Emma's so-called insanity. _

"Emma, Emma wake up." Graham's voice echoed in Emma's head.

Her eyes opened and she breathed heavily for air. Her body trembled madly just like the dream as the electrifying shocks shook her body.

She looked up to find Graham's concerned eyes looking down at her. Her voice was drowned for she could not speak at all.

At first, when Graham felt her acting strange, he released her and sat upright. He examined her as he pulled her body to rest on his lap, her head lifted up with one of the back of his arms.

He wiped her damp forehead with his sleeve and was deadly concerned of her pale completion. "You're unwell. You need a physician."

Emma shook her head.

"Emma you must. You're far from being fine."

She swallowed hard and tried to fight back the shivering. "..I-I'm fine. It was ju-just a dream."

"I heard you whispering something. You kept saying 'no'. What were you dreaming about?"

She placed an arm over her eyes. "About the..the kidnappers. They did unforgivable things to me, it was horrible," she lied.

"What have they done to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it..Just let me get on the bed. I-I want to try to sleep again."

"Do you get these nightmares every night?"

"No," she lied again, looking the other way to avoid his gaze. "Just put me back on the bed."

"You'll get another nightmare."

"That's nothing that you or I can do about. But if you're annoyed with me sweating on the bed and whispering words from my mouth, then just shackle me up and leave. That's what you want, isn't it? So you can rush back to the baroness and fuck her ass like she wants."

"My evening with the baroness can be canceled. And I don't consider shackling you a good idea."

"Why? Do you pity me now?"

"I'm worried about this," He took her wrist gently and smoothed the tip of his thumb on the dark purple ring that encircles her wrist. "You're bruised from your wrists to your ankles. And they don't even look fresh, they look old as if you've been tied up for days."

"Those jerks made good knots. I had to try to break free."

"I cannot allow myself to shackle you for that reason. Your skin is too fair, it'll be regretful to ruin it any further." He laid a light kiss on the center of her wrist. She nervously gritted her teeth. "It's not common to see such paleness on a woman."

"You change your mind very quickly for a man who arrest people for a living."

"Why do you say that?"

"First you want a woman now you're flirting with me."

"I am a man. And a man can have interest." He pressed his lips on the same spot on her wrist again. "How old are you, Emma?"

"Younger than you."

She yanked her wrist off his grasp and rolled off his lap. The trembling slowly faded but continued. Graham smiled and laid on her side with her back turned from him.

Emma gripped a handful of the bed sheets as one of his arms wrapped her by the waist tightly and pushed her body back toward his.

"Is this really necessary?"

"I can't risk you running off."

"You're such an ass, you know that?" She hissed.

"Have you already forgotten what can happen to you if you insult me again? A cell is always open for a girl like you."

"Believe me, mister, that cell has not left my mind since you told me."

* * *

~ The next morning, Graham sat upright from the bed and slipped his shoes back on. As he got up to his feet, he walked around the bed to get to Emma's side. She's sound asleep and still. He smiled and brushed a finger across her jaw.

There was something so beautiful about Emma when she's asleep. Her skin glows without the support of the morning sun. And her cheeks are warm with a natural rouge of a rosy shade. Her hair is finely spread on the pillow, several curls crushed from beneath her head but not ruined.

Her body stirred as Graham lastly rubbed his fingertips across her chin. He placed his hand back down on his side and turned around, heading to the door. He unlocked it and stepped outside, closing the door behind him as silently as he can manage.

After he locked it and turned around, Granny and Red stood there before him. Red had her arm around her grandmother's shoulders. Granny just stared at Graham nastily.

"Morning, ladies," he greeted.

"What are you doing in Emma's room?" Granny asked with her wrinkled hand curved into a fist.

"I assure you, Granny, I was strictly doing my job."

"Sneaking into a girl's room at night is not your job, you bastard. If I go in there and Emma tells me you raped her I would not forgive you. You can just kiss your job goodbye by then."

"Ask her yourself, I swear to you I'm telling the truth. But I instruct you to lock the door," he extended his open hand out, the key lying on his palm. "The baroness was the one who decided to keep her here. If you allow her to escape, you both will be arrested."

Red took the key from him and pushed her Granny to walk forward. Graham walked away casually. Granny cursed at him from behind her shoulder before his figure was completely gone.

As Ruby unlocked the door with the key, the two women walked inside, Granny lifted her skirt and ran toward Emma. Emma awoke groggily as Granny stroked her hair. She smiled as she saw the old woman.

"Good morning, Granny. What brings you here?"

"Emma, tell me quick. Did Graham _touch_ you?"

_Oh God damn. I told him to leave early._

Emma shook her head. "Know. H-He tied me down. That was all."

Granny let out a relieving sigh. "I'm relieved. If that bastard does it again, I will kill him myself."

"Granny," Red warned in a firm tone.

"Well, I will."

Emma pushed her hands against the bed to pull her body to sit upright. She lifted her arms and stretched. "Huh. Why did you two come here? Do you need to tell me something?"

"Red told me she heard you screaming. I was too exhausted, I didn't hear anything. I was worried after she told me so I asked this little one to come here to make sure you're alright."

"I'm perfectly fine, Granny. Thank you for your concern."

"Well, enough of chit chat. Let's get you washed for breakfast. Food always comes and goes, dear. You have to be there on time to eat your fill."

* * *

~ Emma dined a hearty breakfast with Granny and Red. She told them the unpleasant news of her imprisonment. But as the conversation flowed to another subject, laughter took its place. Red did most of the talking and Emma enjoyed it. It was easy to connect with the same youth, despite the time difference they are born in.

"It's a true story. The wolf came in the house and attacked Granny. If it wasn't for Graham, she would have died."

"Well, that's something to be thankful from that jerk. How long has he served as a sheriff anyway?"

"Ever since the baron passed away."

"The baron? You mean to tell me the.." Emma leaned closer for no one to hear. "the bitch was once a married woman?"

Red nodded, her eyes briefly widened to show her disbelief on the fact. "Shocking, isn't it? Years ago, he died from a terrible fever."

"And that's how Graham became her.." Emma dropped her voice in a low tone. "toy to bite on."

Ruby laughed. "Oh goodness, did you catch them in their little secret love moments too?"

"Did you know?"

"Please, Emma, everyone does. Their affair is no mystery to anyone. Where did you catch them though?"

"Last night, I found him pressing her against the wall with her legs tied around his waist. It was very awkward, I didn't know why I was just standing there like a complete idiot instead of walking away."

"For me, I caught them one early morning two years ago. I was asked to bring the water for the baroness to wash. I walked right in and almost dropped the pitcher from my hand when I saw them lying together, naked, on the bed. The baroness shouted at me to leave. I just left the pitcher on the ground and ran like a frightened hare. It was horrific of the way she reacted."

Emma laughed at that, but a little too hard she almost choked on her food. She quickly grabbed the clear goblet and drank the wine. "What did you see?" She placed the goblet down.

"Nothing too scandalous. But a little something from our sheriff. His ass cheek was exposed, and that was the first thing I laid my eyes on."

"Jesus, was it saggy."

"Emma," Red flushed.

"Oh come on, Red. It's no crime to speak of how the man's rear end is built. Spill the beans."

Red arched an eyebrow. Emma bit her lip, cursing to herself. "It's a figurative speech my husband uses. It's common from where I come from. Sorry."

"You came from a strange place, Emma. Are you certain you don't remember where you drom?"

"I'm sure," she lied. "Now don't try to change the subject, Red, tell me. Was it massive or small?"

"It was..it was not sagged, that's what I can tell you and quite well built. I believe all the riding on his horse and chasing after criminals is good exercise for his health and..muscles."

"Oh no, Red, do you have a crus-I mean, do you like Graham?"

Red shook her head in protest. "Heavens no. I'm already..well, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course, what is it?"

Red shielded her hands on Emma's ear to whisper without anyone hearing. "I'm already betrothed to someone else. But don't tell anyone, especially Granny. She'll never approve." She placed her hands down, leaving Emma speechless.

Red smiled and ripped a bit of the slice of bread with her hand. She tossed it into her mouth and chewed. "I know it's a shock. But it's something we've planned together for months."

"How long has it been?"

"Seven."

"C-Congratulations."

"You're my friend, Emma, right?"

"Yeah, we are."

"Good. Now that you're staying, I need you to be on my side. It's not easy trusting anyone here, especially anyone who's acquainted with Granny."

"But you hardly know me, why do you trust me?"

"Because you're trapped in a situation no one can help you with, just like me, and you're committed to it. You want to escape. I want to escape. It's a good match."

"I suppose it is..And you sure you can't help me?"

"I'm sorry, Emma. I don't have any power to go against the baroness. For now, let's just hope she'll grow less interested in you and set you free."

"I just hope that's true."


End file.
